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Monday, December 7, 2009
Dance review: Texas Ballet Theater / Nutcracker at Winspear Opera House
Premier ballet company's rendition of holiday classic has great dancing, colorful sets, and rich costumes.
Texas Ballet Theater: The Nutcracker
- Fri
- Dec
- 11th
- 8PM
- Bass Performance Hall
-
525 Commerce Street
Fort Worth, TX - $19 - $99
Among the dozen-or-so renditions of the Nutcracker presented in Dallas-Fort Worth during the holiday season, the Texas Ballet Theater's reigns supreme.
They do more Nutcracker performances than anyone else: a 10-show run that begins in Dallas on Thanksgiving weekend, followed by a 13-run stint at Bass Hall in Fort Worth.
The caliber of the show, as seen at a recent performance at the Winspear Opera House, was excellent. The fact that they're the area's premier resident professional classical ballet company guarantees lots of proficient, sometimes breathtaking dancing. But the show's production value was high, too, with sets so vivid, they brought to mind the psychedelically colorful perspective of David LaChapelle, and costumes that were incomparably rich.
Nutcracker ballet at Winspear Opera House
This year is more meaningful because it's the TBT's debut as the professional resident ballet company at the new AT&T Performing Arts Center. This year has also been controversial because the company is performing with taped music in place of a live orchestra.
No question that a live orchestra would improve the experience. It was especially obvious during the opening prelude when little action occurred on stage, and the audience sat staring at the closed curtain. But by the second act, the grandiosity of the production made the absence of tape recording seem less noticeable.
Sometimes the staging and choreography were so elaborate that the narrative suffered. For example, the opening scene, showing a holiday party at the Stahlbaum house, had so many extras that it became difficult to follow the storyline about siblings Clara and Fritz.
Attendees of Nutcracker ballet at Winspear Opera House: (from left) Angelica Gleason, Charlotte Gleason, Landes Dixon, Lavryn Gonzalyez
The ensuing fight scene between the Mouse King and the Nutcracker felt like it went on forever; the mice, as played by adult dancers, looked very large. But Act I was salvaged by its magical conclusion during "Land of Snow." The set was a gorgeous pale icy blue, and a stream of dry-ice haze covered the floor, making it look like a bed of snow. As the scene faded, "snow" -- actually, soap suds -- sprinkled down into the audience.
Act II has the musical pieces most people associate with the Nutcracker: The Spanish Dance, The Arabian Dance, The Russian Dance, The Chinese Dance. It was thrilling to see the variety of dancing styles, especially the Chinese dance, which involved two male dancers who performed like tumbling acrobats.
It also had the kind of classic dancing that people expect from a ballet: rows of ballerinas in beautifully gauzy dresses, perched on their toes, spinning.
Nutcracker ballet at Winspear Opera House
Nutcracker ballet at Winspear Opera House
Nutcracker ballet at Winspear Opera House
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jtmbls, anonymous:
Great review Teresa! They did a wonderful job with this production, as ususal. I don't have my program with me but that little brown-haired boy in the blue suit stole the entire first act! What a doll!
I ended up not feeling too slighted by the lack of the orchestra as the sound quality was quite good, imo.
As for the venue, I was sad to see where budget cuts forced such a departure from the original renderings of the interior. The wood trimming was far too light and looked cheap. And the seats...of all the lush, sexy options they had to choose from, they go with tacky AMC movie theater seats? Black plastic office waste baskets in the restrooms? Really? So classy! At least we can all be thankful the facade wasn't made out of red concrete. (Seriously.) The glass was beautiful, albeit dusty.
Sorry, this tangent obviously belongs in another thread. Lovely review Teresa!
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:
thank you jtm - enjoy your feedback on the venue. love your comment about the "black plastic office wastebaskets". can't believe how few stalls they built -- with lines running out the door and into the lobby, the interior of the bathroom visible for all the world to see. while waiting my turn in line, i heard someone make a crack about how obvious it was that the place had been designed by a european
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Travis Bush, verified:
"i heard someone make a crack about how obvious it was that the place had been designed by a european"
they probably spend less time chopping their narcotics into perfect lines versus M'erican womenz..
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jtmbls, anonymous:
Honestly, I put the blame squarely at the feet of the project manager. And not just because he is a total douche bag. The original vision of Foster + Partners of the interior was lush and magnificent and well-appointed. I would hate to see them blamed because they are fine artists and the intention was there. Unfortunately, they didn’t have much to work with on our end but a tasteless lunk-head who sincerely believed that filthy red concrete was a viable, classy option. I was expecting to walk into that building and have my breath taken away. Disappointed but not surprised.
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anthony2042, anonymous:
Having seen the Nutcracker in Bass Perf Hall i was once again amazed how that HALL can make it such an EVENT when the Production was sadly only average.
i wished for a live orchestra at over $100/seat, i know they are suffering budget constraints though.
i was expecting a visionary Production of this wonderful classic. i certainly left feeling baffled and confused about my evening.
i felt Act 1 was lean on actual DANCE in Scene 1, and the stage was a confused mess of too many dancers/performers and the story line was somehow swamped by a very disorganized theatrical/artistic vision.
Scene 2 at least had some proper choreography and of course Scene 3 saved the whole Act!
Act 2 the MUSICAL PIECES were mostly "off the mark" choreographically and in Vision. I will say the Principals were excellent!
I would have preferred some more imaginative Sets and Costumes though. If TX Ballet Theater proudly call themselves "world class" i think they need to look at some of the visionary work being done in other companies around the world.
i do wish the Company well as i see so much talent there and would gladly return in future if only for the amazing talent and depth of technique in the dancers.
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What do you think?